New Ordinance Aimed to Prevent Gentrification in Detroit

Detroit City Council Member Mary Sheffield says residential developers asking for public funds should include affordable housing in their buildings.

Sheffield plans to introduce an “Inclusive Housing Ordinance.” The regulation would require 20 percent of new housing developments to be available to low-income residents, if that developer receives any kind of financial assistance from the city.

Sheffield says the measure would keep residents from being priced out of the city.

“People are not going to be able to afford some the prices, the rates that are going at right now in the city of Detroit,” Sheffield says. “It is important for us as a city to be cognitive of that. And make sure we are intentional about setting policy addressing the issue of gentrification.”

Sheffield says any developer not wanting to create affordable housing should not receive public funds.

She says she plans to present the ordinance to city council by the end of the month.

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